What Is an Information Technology Consultant?
Information technology consultants are independent problem-solvers brought in to help companies make smarter decisions when it comes to their own computer systems and network practices. This requires training a variety of areas, including business management, computer science, and communication.
Consultants use their own expertise to diagnose a company’s issues and then implement effective, affordable solutions, a process that requires a unique blend of people skills, intuition, and the ability to think creatively to come up with answers to a variety of problems. Information technology consultants address a number of areas, from network and system design to the creation of new roles and the selection of key personnel to fill them.
Consultants need to have a certain amount of flexibility built into their personality, because the nature of the job requires a willingness to adapt to new challenges as they come up as well as a desire to move to new projects and clients on a regular basis. The demands can be high, but the rewards can be, too.
How to Become an Information Technology Consultant
The short version: experience and education, the more, the better. The entire consulting field is a fast-paced one that relies on workers with proven experience, and information technology consulting is no exception. Although aspiring consultants are unlikely to find a degree program for consulting, it’s possible to target the field by majoring in marketing, accounting, finance, computer science, or management information systems. Graduate-level degrees or specialized certifications in accounting or computer science are even more attractive to potential employers because they demonstrate commitment and specialized learning.
Real-world experience is key, as well, which is why internships and entry-level positions are invaluable for anyone aspiring to work in the information technology consulting arena. It’s also possible to enter consulting after working in another career field, like management or as an information technology specialist, since those jobs allow you to learn first-hand what kinds of issues consultants might be called upon to solve.
Information Technology Consultant Career Outlook & Salary
The closest group profiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the management, scientific, and technical consulting services area in general, but the fields are analogous with information technology consulting. The good news is that insane growth is expected through 2018, with the field besting all others with a projected 83 percent employment expansion. That explosion comes as a result of evolving businesses and the growing complexity of international commerce. Technology is changing so quickly that many offices can’t keep up with it or else choose not to in order to pass the task off to consultants.
The BLS also pegged median earnings for qualified consultants in 2008 at $913 a week, which is slightly more than $47,000 a year, though salaries can rise much higher for self-employed consultants who contract their services out to larger corporations. Overall, it’s a dynamic field that can provide fantastic opportunities for success and growth to those consultants with the right qualifications.
